Gravity filling machine with pneumatically discharge controlling cutoff



Oct. 2l, 1952 w. E. @Ross 2,614,741

` GRAVITY FILLING MACHINE.' WITH PNEUMATICALLY DISCHARGE CONTROLLING CUTOFF Filed June 9, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet l HHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Oct. 21, 1952 w. E. GROSS 2,614,741

GRAVITY FILLING MACHINE wIIH PNEUMAIIGALLY DISCHARGE coNTRoLLING cuToFF Filed June 9, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I ZZL'amE @ross /177'OR/VEY W. a GROSS GRAVITY FILLING MACHINE WITH PNEUMATICALLY DISCHARGE CONTROLLING CUTOFF 3 Sheds-Sheet 5 Filed June 9, 1949 Patented Oct. 21, 1952 GRAVITY FILLING MACHINE WITH PNEU- MATICALLY DISCHARGE CONTROLLING CUTOFF William E. Gross, Joppa, Md.

. Application June 9, 194,9; Serial No. 98,121

(Cl. 22S-97) l(Granted under the act of March 3, 188.3, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 Q. G. 757) 2 Claims.

The invention describ-ed herein may be manufactured or used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without payment to me of any royalty thereon.

-This invention relates to filling receptacles, more particularly to novel apparatus for automatically filling gas mask canisters of theradial flow type.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a machine that will automatically deliver to a plurality of receptacles a charge of granular material, while maintaining uniform `bulk density of the charge delivered to each receptacle. i

A- supplementary object is to provide such a machinethat will deposit an annular uniform load ofmaterial into each of. a plurality ofreceptacles wherein each receptacle has a central, longitudinal member free at its upper Vend prior tothe iilling` operation.

A further object is toprovide such a machine that will maintain the inner and outer members of a radial ilow canister in centered relationship with each other and with ,the lling tube during the lling'oreration.

Additional objects will more plainly appear from the `detailed specification and drawings herein presented in exemplication but not in limitationV of the present invention. Like reference characters represent like parts in the accompanying drawings which diagrammatically ilustrate a preferred embodiment ofthe present .invention and wherein:v

Fig. 1 representsY a front elevation ofthe as-l sembled machine.

Fig.' 2 is a front elevation, partly in crosssection, of one of the filling tubes.

Fig. 3 is `a plan view of the lower chuck table.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the upper hopper table.

Fig. 5 is a Vertical cross-sectional view of the canister chuck.

Fig. 6v is a vertical cross-sectional view of the canister centering holder.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the centering holder.

Fig. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the automatic measuring apparatus.

Fig. 9 is a vertical Across-sectional view of the adjusting means for thecylindrical measuring tube,'taken on line 9 9 in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the upper measuring plate.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the lower measuring plate.

y Fig. 12 iszadiagram of apreferred pneumatic control` system for the measuring apparatus.

Fig. 13 is a plan lView ofthe chuck plate vslidwn in Fig. 5.

Fig. 114 is a vertical cross-sectional viewof the v The charge must be of uniform bulk density. v

As usedherein, bulk densityv is determined as follows:

l'eigiieie'ep Bum density-fvwm@ of sample The various sizes of the particles must be uni formly distributedwithin the charge.

The central4 tube of ,the canister must be kept in accurately centered relationship with the outer .walls of the canister. This isV essential to maintain uniformity of load. and to insurev the subsequent accurate assembly of the gas mask canister and its top. n

The feeding of mixed-sized granular particles has been described in U. S. Patent No. 2,332,512, issued October 26, 1943, jointly to John C. Goshorn and the applicant. The present appli cation is an improvement on the apparatus describedtherein, that provides a novel automatic llingmachine, andl inaddition to other improvements, provides novelV means for maintaining a uniform charge in radial flow canisters.

In general, as shown in Fig. 1, the assembled machine comprises horizontal base 20,; vertical supports 2l horizontal top support 22; and horizontal cam support 49. Vertical rotating shaft 23 is mounted in roller bearing 24 on the base 20 and roller bearing 25 on topA support 22. Mounted on base 2!) is motor drive assembly 30 which drives shaftA 23,'through pinion 26, and gear 21 which is attached to shaft 23. Fixed to shaft 23, for rotation therewith, is chuck table 218, shown in Fig. 3, and hopper table 29, shown in Fig. 4.

The motor drive asembly 30 includes asource of electric current, indicated at 32, and a-conduit 3| to motor 33, which drives, through belt 34,`a well known variable pitch pulley unit at 35. The pivoted tilting arm 36 is adjustedr by handle 31 on adjustable 4nut unit at 38. Drive pulley 39, through belt Sii, drives driven pulleyl 9| on shaft 92' inreducinggearvunit 93. Unit 93- drives turntable Vdrivingpinion 26, held on fshaft-94 by hub ow canister for attachment 95. Pinion 26 drives turntable driven gear 2l, which is xed to the vertical main shaft 23 by hub atachment means at 96.

Cam ring 4B is fixed to support 49, positioned below chuck table 28, and is arranged so that shaft 23 rotates within ring 49. Cam ring 48 includes the depressed track portion 4| shown in Fig. 1, positioned at the canister loading and unloading stations of table 28.

Attached to the under side of chuck table 28 is chuck bracket 42, as shown in Fig. 5, arranged to slidably engage the L-shaped chuck arm 43 which is mounted for slidable vertical movement within the two opposite vertical plates of chuck bracket 42. Mounted on chuck arm 43 is chuck roller 44, arranged for rotation on its shaft 45, and arranged so that chuck arm 43 rides on roller 44 as it travels on cam ring 48. Mounted on the upper horizontal face of chuck arm 43 is chuck plate 46, apertured at 41 to receive the central tube 6| of canister 68, as shown in Fig. 13.

Attached to the under side of table 28 and positioned in alignment with chuck plate 45 is chuck guide assembly 59, shown in Figs. 6 and 7. This assembly comprises plate provided on its under side with recess 52, adapted to receive the top 64 of canister tube 61. Positioned adjacent to recess 52 are radial guide shoulders 58 and feed apertures 58. Removably attachable to plate 5| is annular adaptor 54, which includes the downwardly projecting annular members 55 and shoulder portions 55. Adaptor 54 is readily tted to plate 5| by means of bolts 51, and may be removed and replaced by other adaptors suitable for various canister or receptacle shapes and dimensions.

Fixed to the top side ofchuck table 28 is the upwardly projecting annular tube holder 19, arranged to releasably position the lower ends of tubes 1| on chuck table 28. Attached to the under side of hopper table 29 is downwardly projecting upper tube guide 12, adapted to slidably and releasably engage the upper portion 19 of tubes 1|. Apertures 'I3 in hopper table 29 are arranged to be centered with the vertical axis of tubes 'H and funnels T4.

As shown in Fig. 2, filling tubes 'Il preferably include for accessibility a telescoping top tube portion 19, lockable by means of pin 97 and bayonet slot 98. Positioned in the top of tube portion E9 are the spaced apart, horizontally mounted screen members B3, as described in the aforementioned U. S. Patent No. 2,332,512.

Positioned for operating registration with funnels 'I4 is automatic feed metering assembly 88 (see Fig. 8), comprising upper measuring plate 8|, lower feed plate 82, both mounted for limited rotation on shaft 83 mounted on top support 22. Also mounted on top support 22 is feed hopper 84 and its measuring cylinder 85. The feed hopper 84 is positioned above the aperture sector of measuring plate 8|, and the measuring cylinder 85 is positioned between the apertured sectors of plates 8| and 82 so that hopper 84, cylinder 85, funnels 14, and aperture 13 may all be brought into operating registration with tubes 1|. Measuring cylinder 85 is provided with adjustable wall 85, slidably mounted for horizontal adjustment inwardly and outwardly by means of adjusting apparatus 81, so that the volume of cylinder 85 may be adjustably fixed within pre-determined limits. Upper measuring plate 8| is provided with circular aperture 88, and lower feed plate 82 is provided with similar aperture 89; so positioned that when upper aperture 88 is in registration with hopper 84, lower aperture 88 will be out of registration therewith and when lower aperture 89 is in registration with the lower portion of measuring tube 85, upper aperture 83 will be out of registration therewith. Reciprocating motion is provided to plates 8| and 82 by pneumatic means subsequently described.

Attached to the periphery of hopper table 29, as shown in Fig. 1, are valve actuating rollers 15, rotatably mounted on shafts 18 and positioned to engage the arm l1 of valve assembly 18, as shown in Fig. 12.

Valve assembly 18, as shown in Fig. 12, comprises a pivoted spring-pressed valve actuating mechanism or arm ll, positioned in the path of actuating rollers 'l5 on the periphery of rotating hopper table 29. Arm 11 actuates a standard four-way, two-position pneumatic valve of a type well known in the art, as indicated at '18 in Fig. l2. Valve i8 is provided with an intake line |85 and exhaust line |85. Conduits |81 and |88 are connected by leads |89 and IIB to valve 18, and to each end of pneumatic cylinders |09 and itl, as shown in Fig. 12. Cylinder |90 is provided vrith reciprocating piston |82 connected to hopper plate 82 by means of operating linkage |84, and is arranged to provide plates 8| and 82 with concurrent reciprocating motion, so that when aperture 88 is in registration with cylinder 85, aperture 89 will be out of registration therewith, and vice versa.

Pneumatic cylinder mi is provided with reciprocating piston |93 and is positioned below chuck table 28, as represented in Figs. 12 and 3, so that in operation the forward movement of piston |83 will contact the empty canister 60 and advance it into its loading position on chuckv plate 45, as shown in Fig. 3.

The valve system shown in Fig. 12 is synchronized to operate in the following manner: when chuck plate 48 is in its lowered position for engaging empty canister 58, as shown in Fig. 3, the piston |83 pushes canister 58 into engagement with chuck plate 45, and as canister 68 is engaged, by the travel of the chuck out of the depressed portion 4| and onto the elevated portion 48, the piston |82 reciprocates plates 8| and 82 on shaft 83, so that apertures 88 and 89 are in their loading positions. This means that aperture 88 is then in registration with cylinder 85, and aperture 88 is out of registration with cylinder 85. As the table 29 continues its rotation, the roller 'l5 disengages the actuating arm l?, the tension on its spring returns the arm and the valve to its disengaged position and the above described action of the pistons |92 and |83 is reversed. As each succeeding roller moves into and out of contact with the arm 'V1 the entire operation is repeated; each aperture being pivotally rst moved one wayand then the other way with respect to the cylinder 85.

In actual operation, each filled canister 69 is discharged at chute lli, as shown in Fig. 3, concurrently with the engagement of empty canister 88 with chuck plate 45. As each of the tubes il and funnels 14 travels on rotating table into registration with cylinder 85, the reciprocation of piston |82 dumps the charge of material from cylinder 85 into thefunnels 'i4 during the time each tube 7| travels through its registration position therewith. At the moment that the travel of table 29 has completed the registration of funnel 14 with hopper 84, piston |82 concurrently actuates plates 8| and 82 so that-fcylinder' Br'is-"closedfat the ]octtom and opened? at the top; through which it.- receivesby gravity a newfchargefof material from hopper 84. 'This 'charge is-'levele'd off within cylinderfBE by the-return motion of plate 8|, vthus Vmetering the charge in'cylinder 85.1 'This charge is subf sequently delivered to the oncoming tube 1t in the mannerfa'lready described:v This provides la volumetric 4accuracy within plusior lminus .1/2 of '1%-asfmeas'ured ion, the volume meterV described in' aforementioned U. S.`Patent No. 2,332,512.

-In actual practicara preferred machine may 'embodya continuous series offBOorm'ore tubes, although, for clarity, only 6 are indicated vinthe drawingsl herewith. The-'preferred rate of rota. tion.' for :tables 28 and` 2.9 'is approximately 2j. per minute, 'in' va. counter-.clockwise direction.v A preferred form of receptaclesuitable:for jfllling bythe` apparatusofthe present. invention ris shownfin Fig'. le, which'represents portionsr of a'i'adial low'eanisterf, such as is used for military gasimasks. The canister 60, asshown infFig. 1Zl,comprisesfay base'fE, a central tube member'l vand a tube-cap 64. The tube' 6| is loosely-held by the 'base "62 .priorto receiving the annularchaige of granularmaterial, for example, sorbents or mixtures thereof, after tube 6I has been accurately centered bythe chuck mechanism 50 of thl present invention, as previously described herein. A production of 3600 lled canisters, perihour-ghas been obtained under factory conditions lby the apparatus of the present invention.

Operation Fora machine includingthirty of the tubes 1l, theimotor drive is adiusted' by handle 3l and gearbox 93, in a manner. well known in the art, so thatsh'aft23 and "tables 28. and. 2 9 rotate, 'preferably in a .counter-'clockwise direction, at about 2 R.A P. M. When counter-clockwise direction is used, the chuck loading station adjacent piston |03 in Fig. 3 is positioned in advance or to the right of the receptacle discharge station adjacent the chute III. If clockwise rotation is used, the positions of these two stations are, of course, reversed with respect to the direction of travel.

After the proper speed is set, the proper adaptor plate 54, as shown in Fig. 6, may be attached by bolts 5l to guide plate 5i in chuck guide unit 50. The adaptor plate 54 is chosen so that its shoulders 55 and recess area 56 will conform to the wall and tube formation of the receptacle E50 to be filled. Cylinder 35 is next adjusted to measure the desired volume of the charge by setting wall 86 by means of adjusting mechanism 8l, as shown in Fig. 9.

Next, current is applied from source 32, motor drive 30, and gear 2l to shaft 23 and tables 28 and 29. Chucks 58, tubes 1l, and funnels 14 all travel with tables 28 and 29 in a continuous path into and out of successive registration with cylinder 85, loading station H2, and discharge station H3, as shown in Fig. 3. As the chuck roller 45 travels on cam ring 40 into the depressed track portion 4l, chuck arm 43 slides downwardly in bracket 42 and thereby lowers chuck plate 46 into its receiving position.

At this moment valve actuating rollers actuate valve arm TI, which causes piston |03 to push empty receptacle 60 onto chuck plate 46 which is then elevated by the travel of roller 45 out of the depression 4l and back onto the elevated cam ring 40. This upward movement of piate 46 lforces theupper edges of therrcccptaelc into the. shoulder recessedv `area in guide' unit 511,' and also guides the tube; 61|. intothc csf; 52, so that cap 64 and tube 6l are ce tere@ therein with respect to the receptacle Eiland chuck unit 50 and chuckvplate 46.. Atgthis .time the lower end of tube rtil. projects.. downwardly, as shown in Fig. 5., through' aperture 4 1 iiirplate lid, and the base G2Y is held in position Bilder the arms of plate 45, as Shown in'lig.`

Subsequently, as'tube'll travels into.rasstilae tion with cylinder 35, the roller 'l5, di sengages, the spring-*pressedarm 11, the. arm. by reason of the compression 0f itsspringreverses Valve is in the synchronization previouslydescribed For example: as chuck arm 4 3 goes int ts upper position, as. it leaves lloading stati. i piston m3 goes into its retracted posit feed plate 82 goes into .its open pos .prand upper feed plate 8l goes into its closed posi tion. When roller 'l5 disengagesthe arm l'l the compression rof its spring is released and. pistons |00 and IUIare againactuated by valve lli- This causes piston lea to advanceand push-the nest empty-A receptacle arriving Yat station I lg onto plate 45, It also causes piston 10.2 t0. reciprocate plates 8l and 82, so that lowcrzplate 8.2 is in tS closed position at cylinder 85 and.' upper Plate 8| is in its open position to receive material from hopper 84. When lowerplate 82 is in its open position, the, accurately meteredY material drops from cylinder 85 through aperture 89, funnel 14. hole i3, screens 63, tube ii, apertures 53, around tube 6l, and into receptacle 60'.;

Funnels 14 `preferably may be. vmade;elliptical in horizontal cross. section, so Ythatthey willzicmain in registration withtylinder until each entire chargeof material is. ree civedin-eac1ici funnels 1.4,. f

After the annular metered; charge of'granulai: material has lled receptacle 60, chuck arm 4 3. travels into the. depressed portion 4| oi cam ring 40. This lowers plate 46, releases receptacle 60 from guide unit 5B, and as plate 46 continues its travel with table 28, chute arm I|4 engages lled receptacle 60 and it is moved away, preferably by a conveyor belt of the `type well known in the art. In this manner station I|2 receives a continuing series of empty receptacles, continuously metered at cylinder 85, continuously filled at hopper unit 80, and continuously discharged accurately and uniformly filled at station I I3. at the rate of 1 per second.

The foregoing drawings and specication illustrate one preferred embodiment of the present invention which is vnot intended to be limited thereto, but contemplates all embodiments and modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. Automatic apparatus for successively depositing charges of granular material in a plurality of receptacles revolving about a common center, each of said receptacles having an outer circular wall surrounding an inner longitudinal member having an upper end portion and a base provided with a central aperture, said longitudinal member being inserted in said aperture and being free for limited movement at said upper end portion prior to the depositing operation of said apparatus; a series of vertical lillingtubes each of which revolves about said common center and is arranged to provide for the free fall of said material into one of said receptacles from a substantial altitude, a metering means for uniformly delivering a predetermined amount of 'said material to each of said tubes; a hopper means for the delivery of said material into said metering means, a series of chucks each of which is' arranged to guide and hold one of said receptacles in such a manner that said longitudinal member is in centered relationship with said wall and in the aperture of said base during said depositing operation; a receiving station for engaging said receptacles in said chucks; a delivery station for discharging said receptacles from said chucks; a pneumatically operated piston and link assembly having two pistons, one of which is arranged to be moved forward and backward and in sequence to open and close said metering means; a valve for reversing the movement of said assembly, a pivotally mounted actuating arm for reversibly actuating said valve; a roller mounted adjacent to the outer periphery of each of said tubes and arranged t move with its adjacent tube and into and out of contact with said arm in a manner whereby said piston assembly will be moved into one operating position when the roller is out of contact with said arm; the other of said pistons being operatively connected to said valve and arranged to move said receptacles into engagement of said chucks and means arranged to provide concurrent operation of each of said pistons by said valve.

2. Automatic apparatus for depositing granular material into each of a plurality of receptacles of the type including an guter Wall, a centrally apertured base portion, and an inner longitudinal member in said apertured base portion, said apparatuscomprising a metering means, a series of elongated vertical filling tubes arranged to revolve about a common center and adapted to receive said material from said metering means and discharge said material into said receptacles, and to provide a free fall of said material into said receptacles from a substantial altitude, a hopper means adapted for delivery of said material into said metering means, a series of chucks below and spaced apart from said tubes for holding said receptacles, and arranged to guide and hold the inner longitudinal members of said receptacles in centered relationship with their outer walls, stations .for the engagement and discharge of said receptacles by said chucks, and means for causing travel of said tubes and said chucks into and out of vertical alignment with said stations; said metering means being actuated by said travel for measuring and dropping a uniform quantity of said material through each of said tubes and into said receptacles, said travel being accomplished by pneumatic means including a pneumatically operated piston and link assembly operatively coupled to said meter- Ving means and said chucks and arranged to open and close said metering means; a valve for reversing the movement of said piston and link assembly; a pivoted actuating arm for operating said valve; and a roller mounted adjacent vto the outer periphery of each of said tubes in a manner whereby each roller is arranged to move into and out of engagement with said pivoted actuating arm in a manner whereby said valve reversably actuates said metering means each time one of said rollers moves into and each time one of said rollers moves out of engagement with said actuating arm.

WILLIAM E. GROSS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 985,691 Nungesser Feb. 28, 1911 1,666,930 Hansen Apr. 24, 1928 1,778,216 Hansen Oct. 14, 1930 2,316,683 Finlayson et al. Apr. 13, 1943 2,332,512 Goshorn et al. Oct. 26, 1943 

